[PSL] time travel, time travel

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Martin had always known that Lukas would kill him in the end. If not along the way, then surely at the end, once he'd gotten what he wanted out of Martin, whatever that turned out to be. When the Lonely rose up to swallow him, he'd accepted his impending death with ... what?

What did he have left, really? Numbness, mostly. A hallucination of Jon in the Lonely, looking for him, but - but that was impossible, ridiculous. His mind playing cruel tricks. He settled himself down in the frigid surf, knees drawn up close to his chest, unshed tears frozen to his cheeks and lashes.

And then. A door. A door that shouldn't exist, that couldn't exist. That he shouldn't take at all. The Lonely was terrible, yes, but it was quiet, and it was peaceful. Martin was aligned enough with it by now to very nearly enjoy it, in a strange and terrible way. The Spiral would be infinitely worse than this quiet beach.

But ... it was hope, too. In a strange way. Hope enough that Martin found himself turning the door handle and stepping through, leaving the false comfort of the Lonely behind him.

The transition was unpleasant. Long. But Martin couldn't remember it after; he only remembered stumbling out through the door of a supply closet somewhere deep in the Archives, blinking up at the dim bulbs that pretended to be sufficient. What time was it? Had he escaped? Where were Lukas and Elias now?

And where was Jon? ]

Comments

[eyediot]

[Jon just. Sits where he is in his chair, head in his hands and food forgotten on the coffee table. He's dying. He can feel it, he can feel his insides shriveling up and dying and this is literally the worst.]

Is this because of the Gundam joke.

[kayakking]

[There's a blink and a sudden, surprised laugh cutting through the tension in the room.]

God. No. The retribution for that is going to be a million times worse.

[eyediot]

[There's just a low, guttural groan of frustration coming from behind Jon's hands. Oooh he hates this. It'd be easier if he could just walk out himself, but noooo he had to come by when he's still like this. God.]

Look. I just. [Deep breath. Maybe. Maybe he can use words properly to explain this and not have Tim make it weird.] I care about them both equally. And I wanted to be up front with them both about it.

[kayakking]

[It's nice Jon thinks that walking would save him from this.]

Okay, you're going to have to be a lot more specific. Because I care about you is USUALLY not enough to get someone to awaken their eldritch powers of loneliness here.

[eyediot]

[The best thing he has done this entire conversation is keep his face in his hands because Tim can't see how his expression is going through the five stages of grief in a matter of five minutes. But it's clear what he's saying is being drawn out through gritted teeth.]

I told them both. That I felt the same. And wanted to try. Figuring things out. Between the three of us.

[kayakking]

[He sets down his plastic fork to rub at his face looking blearily at Jon. Somewhere he really has gone from what do I do about SOMEONE LIKING ME to ... to this. ]

... You got turned down by both of them, didn't you?

[eyediot]

[This is what happens when Jon's left alone with his own thoughts too long. He ends up with this mess.]

Algric, no. He's-- He seems fine. But Martin... [He finally moves his hands, his face a mess of worry and guilt and gestures vaguely to the air between them.] He... got upset. And disappeared. And now he won't... answer.

[kayakking]

[.... Things Tim is not going to say at this very specific moment "because Algric doesn't plan on surviving long and will cede immediately to Martin." that's a conversation for later.

Outside of actual crisis.]

Right. Hang on.

[He sends off a quick text.]

Hey. Have u seen Jon. Think he went and did something stupid.

[There. A masterwork. And in no way, technically, a lie.]

[eyediot]

[Okay what-- God damn it.]

What are you doing.

[kayakking]

[The seconds tick on, even as he can feel the anxiety from Jon light up half of his house.]

Look. I'm just making sure he's okay.

[... And the fact that there's no immediate answer to joke off or deescalate gives an immediate jolt of worry. Is this some weird FORGET ME field. Is he actually in trouble.

God. No, this is no longer about the weird love ... biangle. He is ABSOLUTELY concerned, as the time ticks by. Martin is ALWAYS fast on the phone.]

Seriously. I need you on board for this. Elias put some weird ass MUST OBEY magic in his head to go back, and I have ideas but could use help.

[Another pause.]

And I'm really worried about you, specifically.

[secreteary]

[the display that Martin is typing is on Tim's screen for an agonizing amount of time. sometimes it disappears for a moment or two. what is he doing?]

forget about me

tell me your ideas

[eyediot]

[Jon watches him, eyes focused in a way they hadn't been since he got here. The food's basically forgotten at this point, the tight knot of anxiety in his gut making any further idea of eating a nauseating thought.]

...All right. [Said with that quiet trust he has for Tim. If he doesn't trust anything else, he knows he can trust Tim when it comes to the safety of Martin.

Of course, there's the other side of this. If Martin does respond, then he may have... really fucked this up and it's just him that Martin's avoiding. Same soup just reheated, he guesses.]

[kayakking]

[There's a lot to watch. Tim's expression goes from the nod to Jon to abject, simple relief at seeing the TYPING light up on Martin's end of things. He thinks, for a simple moment, a pure, beautiful moment where everything is clearly okay and things can just be maneuvered back into place, that it doesn't matter what Martin replies with, he's okay.





Then he reads it. Tim's expression clouds and focuses entirely on the phone, typing quickly.]

I can't even begin to relate how much 'forget about me' makes me do the opposite of not worry.

[secreteary]

great then see you later

[kayakking]

[What does that MEAN?

Nope. NOPE. NOPE.]

oh right ill just completely ignore the only friend I've had all the way through this whole mess currently being in distress. Eat my whole arse Martin.

Where are you? I'll pop by WITH all of the info you want and we'll work out a plan.

[secreteary]

stay away i dont want to see anyone i mean it im not responding again algric will be better help anyway

[kayakking]

the shit he will be, it's only you and me uncompromised.

[secreteary]

good luck

[kayakking]

[Oh.



oh.


That? You know? That one hit. The flinch Tim gives is visible to Jon, and on Martin's side of the screen, the bubbles of someone typing starts and stops several times before simply, ... simply clearing.

Tim sets the phone down with a long, bracing sigh.]

So, good news is he's answering. Bad news, he's in a hell of a mood.

I'll go by in person after we're done here. I kind of doubt he's anywhere but home.

[eyediot]

[As soon as Tim says that Martin's answering, everything about Jon lightens. Some of the worry he has just.. dissipates in the wake of relief. At least he's answering someone, even if it means Jon... definitely fucked it up.]

I...All right. I'm glad he's... [Alive? Okay?] Where he can answer.

[kayakking]

Yeaaah. It's... I'll talk to him.

[He turns his phone over and picks his fork back up. Though he really just pokes at the lentils lightly.]

Algric warned me Martin might jump to the being replaced thing real fast, but I think that might be where we are.

[eyediot]

I thought it would be a problem but.

[Yeah, Jon's not even hungry at this point. At least he already sent Tim money for his share.]

It doesn't even matter what or how I said it.

[kayakking]

[Pppppaaaauuuuseees and angles a look up at Jon.]

Why do you think that?

[eyediot]

[Gggggnnnnaaaaaagghhhh Tim.]

When I was talking to him, I spent. Literally the entire time talking about Martin, and. Things between me and him. Algric didn't even come up until he asked, and that's when it all went ....bad.

[kayakking]

[So that's.... that's good? That's a hell of an interpersonal navigation for Jon. But still--]

I'm going to go with what you said and how you said it at that juncture is intensely important.